Hidden Gems from Marietta & Surrounding Areas

Every day we have a choice. We can support an up and coming podcaster, try a new family-run restaurant, join a boutique gym started by a local fitness champ or we could keep giving away our money to the handful of giants who already control so much of our commerce. Our daily decisions impact the kind world we live in; if we want a world where small businesses are growing and artists and creatives are thriving then we should support them with our time, money and attention. We’re proud to highlight inspiring creatives and entrepreneurs each week in Hidden Gems series. Check out some gems from Marietta & the surrounding areas.

Kristina Barrett

It was always easy for me, to be honest, about my struggles and how I got where I am. I became a survivor of sexual abuse at the young age of eight. As a teenager, I tried to escape my trauma and insecurity by living a reckless, party girl lifestyle. I was at parties every weekend, smoking, drinking, having sex. Read more>>

Ian Calk

I was born and raised in South Carolina and music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My brother and I have made music together since high school. As we continued to work together and improve our craft, we decided to pursue music seriously. Although our personal tastes are nearly complete opposites. Read more>>

Anthony (TO-NE 84) Bailey Jr.

I started rapping at the age of seven. I freestyled all of my songs until about the age of 11 which is when I wrote my very first song. Throughout high school, I practiced freestyling and the only songs that I wrote were songs for girls. I’d pretty much given up on making actual music since I had no way of recording it. Read more>>

Emina Pelja

Like most great businesses, Balkan Bred happened by complete accident. At the end of 2017, I was going through the Notes app on my iPhone and came across a note I’d written nearly two years prior. All it said was “Shirts with Bosnian cities and sayings.” That was it. I almost deleted it, just like I’d been doing with all of my useless grocery lists and assignment due dates, but for some reason, I didn’t. Read more>>

Eric Vinson

I always loved listening to podcasts and people’s stories through them, so I decided to create my own with my friend Caleb Carswell. We came up with the name Black Sheep Conversations because we wanted to have candid conversations on the podcast that were different from the norm. Read more>>

Sharrell Mcknight

I have always been the one that when going out when planning an event, and or when being invited out with the girls I had to do the makeup. As a result, I’ve always enjoyed that aspect of it in so it just came naturally to me that I created a business out of something I was so passionate about. Read more>>

Ashleeh (Leeh) Scrivens

I am a Grand Rapids, Michigan native. Born and raised! I am a graduate of Thee Tennessee State University where I received my Bachelors of Science in Sociology in 2011. In 2013, I graduated from Clark Atlanta University with a Masters of Social Work. In 2014, I became a mother to the amazing, smart, and loving diva named Ryleeh. Read more>>

Kia Pooler

The Arts became my safe haven, an escape, a space for me to create and communicate freely. My first loves were film/theatre. I found my love for theatre when I went to my first Broadway show at 10. There was something so mesmerizing and captivating about the experience and I wanted to be a part of it in some way. Read more>>

Shiv’on Bullock

In 2009, after being laid off for the second time in two years; I decided it was time to do a career shift and go back to school and get my Masters in Business. I took one semester and realized, I did not want a business degree anymore and I wanted to get into public relations. I dropped out after a month and switched my Master’s program to Public Relation/Media communications. While waiting I was at a job. Read more>>

Monique Hill

The beginning of Just Baked: Cupcake Bar & Bakery started off at home in Somerset, New Jersey. It started off with family and the love of baking that my Father Renaldo Hill. My father was a man who loved to bake and enjoyed making his own cakes from scratch. He loved it so much it eventually became a battle between him and me on whose desserts were better in our random kitchen competitions. Read more>>